Seeing Clark
by kelly4
Summary: Lana is cured, and has returned to get her life back. But things have changed. Clark/Lois.
1. Chapter 1

"So you're cured?"

Lana simply smiled at Chloe, giving the blonde the answer she needed.

"So," Chloe said, almost haltingly, "what does that mean?"

"Well," Lana said, a glint that was all too familiar to the beleaguered best friend who'd borne witness to this train wreck for the past too many years in the petite brunette's eyes, "I'm here aren't I?"

"But…how?"

"Luck, actually."

They continued walking along the Metropolis street, busy with mid-afternoon pedestrian traffic.

"So, you didn't actually _look_ for a cure? You just found one?"

"Was Clark looking?" Lana snapped back, then caught herself when she noticed Chloe's surprised look, a congenial smile forming once again on her face. "Look, I was busy, trying to help people. I looked into things when they came up, but none of them were what I was looking for."

"Which was?"

A silence fell between the two friends as they continued walking.

"Lana?"

"Chloe, what I can do is important," Lana answered, in the most non-answery way possible.

"So…you still have your powers?" Chloe asked, in a way that was much more a statement than a question.

"I do."

Chloe nodded in response, the message all too clear. Lana had _waited_ for a solution that didn't take away the powers she had gained from Lex's suit. And she pointedly didn't acknowledge Lana's accusation.

Clark _hadn't_ looked for any solution.

It had surprised her at first, she'd figured Clark would search far and wide, or more specifically _north_, for a way to de-kryptonite Lana.

And yet, he'd seemed to accept it all rather quickly. Sure, he threw himself into his duties as the Blur as a form of therapy so to speak, but when he wasn't doing that? Well, the distinct lack of moping and brooding on his part had shocked his best friend.

In fact, it had downright flabbergasted her.

Not that there hadn't been after effects, the most glaring one being Clark's reticence to start something new, to take another chance at love and happiness. But it'd been Chloe's impression that that had more to do with the scars Lana had left, coloring Clark's views and fears of any potential relationship, and not any lingering feelings for the woman herself.

"And there were no side effects from the …infection?" Chloe asked, weighing her words carefully as she opened the door to the Coffee Spot. The two women walked into the empty shop, which was fairly typical for this time of day. In about another hour, it would pick up as the young professionals in Metropolis would need their late afternoon caffeine fix.

"Not really," Lana shrugged, gesturing toward a table in the back corner. As they settled in, Chloe tilted her head slightly in a questioning manner.

"Are you sure? I mean, it was a pretty significant amount."

"I'm sure, Chloe. I'm completely clean of any and all meteor rock, and I've never felt better," she said, smiling brightly.

"That's great, Lana. I'm glad everything worked out the way you wanted it to," Chloe said sincerely.

"Thanks, Chloe. I knew you'd understand. Though, I don't have everything I want, at least not yet anyway," she said cryptically, though she needn't have bothered since Chloe knew exactly to what, or more specifically _whom_ she was referring.

A waiter came over to take their orders, giving Chloe a moment to get her thoughts together. She certainly hadn't expected to see Lana in Metropolis today, or really any day ever again. And she definitely was in no way prepared for the ensuing conversation.

"You're here for Clark," Chloe said quietly.

"I can't wait to see the look on his face. Finally, everything will be okay, Chloe. We can have the life we dreamed about, we can make it work this time."

"Look," Chloe began, pausing for a moment as the waiter set down their lattes in front of them, "Lana, you've been gone over a year."

"So?"

"That's a long time."

"That's never mattered before," Lana said, waving her hand in the air nonchalantly as if to brush off Chloe's concern.

The blonde sighed, not wanting to hurt her friend, but knowing there were some serious truths that needed to be brought up in this little discussion.

"Sure it did," Chloe retorted, not unkindly. "When you came back for my wedding, you and Clark didn't get right back together. It was only after you got your," she paused, gesturing up and down Lana's body, "_abilities_ that you tried to make things work."

Lana narrowed her eyes at that. "Which I did for him."

"You sure about that?"

"Chloe, you know what it's like, being around Clark, knowing what he can do. What I did, I did for us, so we could be together, work together. Having a girlfriend that can do what he can do is exactly what Clark needs."

"And I'm sure screwing Lex over in the process was only an added bonus," Chloe added knowingly, watching as Lana's eyes darted away in response. "Of course, I guess he got the last laugh in that situation. But Lana, maybe you're wrong about Clark. Maybe your assumption that he needs to be with someone like him is wrong."

"He didn't exactly argue the point," Lana shot back, feeling more than a bit defensive.

"That was then," Chloe said simply.

"What does that mean?"

"It means, Clark's always been scared of being alone. He was scared of hurting you because of his powers, you thought you were holding him back. When you presented him with what seemed the ideal solution, of course he grabbed onto it. But that doesn't mean his views haven't changed. Maybe he's realized that that so-called perfect solution wasn't perfect at all, and it wasn't really what he wanted or needed."

"Gee, thanks for the support, Chloe," Lana snarked, irritated at her friend's lack of cheerleading.

"Lana, I'm just saying, things change. You need to be prepared for that."

Lana crossed her arms, leaning back in her seat and staring daggers at Chloe. "You're being awfully vague. Something you wanna tell me, Chloe?"

Just then, the bell above the door chimed, and a familiar voice rang out through the almost empty café.

"Smallville, I told you, I'm just not sure it's a good idea!"

"Awww, come on Lo, I can do it, I swear."

Lana's face lit up at the sight of him, seemingly oblivious to the brunette at his side. Her heart pounded, as it always did in his presence, and she noticed Chloe turn slightly, seeing her cousin and best friend leaning against the counter, both unaware they were being watched by the two women in the shadowed corner.

"The usual?" the young man behind the counter asked with a grin. Clark simply nodded before turning back to Lois.

"Just this once, Lois. Let me try."

"Clark, you just _don't_ have the face of a 'bad cop'. It won't work! I think it's better that we stay in our natural roles. You're the good cop, I'm the bad cop. Every interview we've conducted that way has been a success. Why mess with it?"

"Because you don't think I can do it."

Lois sighed loudly. "Clark, it's just that…Louisa Rogers is a well-known hardass. I don't think this is the time for you to be trying out your bad cop routine. Your other talents would be _much_ more useful."

"My other talents? Care to elaborate Miss Lane?" he asked, a grin on his face as their coffees were set on the counter. Clark took a few bills from his jacket and handed them to the barista.

"Well, that charming smile of yours for starters. You flash that at Rogers and she'll be putty in our hands. And there's that thing you do, when you look at a woman like she's the only person in the room. Combine that with the killer questions we came up with last night, and she doesn't have a chance," she finished, her voice lowering slightly as she moved a bit closer to Clark.

Which didn't go unnoticed by the raven-haired woman watching intently from the back of the shop. The same woman who was beginning to feel the first flutter of nausea swimming in her stomach.

"So, wait, you _want_ me to flirt with another woman, Lois?" he asked, his voice taking on a light teasing quality.

"Who said anything about _wanting_ that? However, we do whatever it takes to get the story."

"Rule number 3," Clark responded, nodding slightly as he brought the coffee cup to his lips and took a long sip.

"Exactly. I'm willing to put up with it, since there's no way even someone with Louisa Rogers' reputation would be able to resist that smile of yours, Smallville. It could melt the heart of just about any woman."

A soft gasp escaped Lana's lips as, in the blink of an eye, Clark was in front of Lois, trapping her between his body and the counter.

"I don't care if it could melt _any_ woman's heart. I only care if it melts _yours_, Lane."

Even from the distance she was sitting away from them, Lana could see Lois bite the side of her lip, noticing the almost dreamy look that flashed across her features.

Then, in the instant, her lips ticked up into a smirk.

"Eh…I gotta be in the mood for you," she said, shrugging nonchalantly, a sparkle in her hazel eyes. Clark leaned forward, bumping his nose gently into hers.

"Hmmm….well, your heartbeat says you are _definitely_ in the mood for me, Lois," he said, his voice low, apparently mindful of their public surroundings.

Lana's breath caught, feeling Chloe's eyes on her, watching her in an almost pitiable way, as Lois brought her hand up and gently traced the shell of Clark's ear.

"No fair, Smallville," she said, her head nodding slightly to the place her fingers were tenderly caressing.

"She knows," Lana whispered, the gesture and its meaning, as well as the implication behind his seemingly innocent heartbeat remark, not lost on the shell-shocked woman unable to stop watching the scene playing out in front of her.

"Bad cops don't play fair," he said with a teasing grin, having pulled back slightly, his strong arms still imprisoning her against the counter.

Lois chuckled lightly at that, shaking her head slightly. "You really wanna do this, don't you?"

With a look Lana could only describe as one of steely determination, he took his hands from the counter, quickly grabbing her waist and turning her around, pushing her gently down into the stool near the counter. Clark's back now to her, Lana looked at Lois, who was now gazing up at Clark with wide eyes.

Leaning down, his large hands still grasping her waist, he spoke, his voice taking on a slightly dangerous edge.

"I _am_ gonna do it, Lane. And there's nothing you can do to stop me, either."

Even from where she was sitting, Lana could see the excited shiver that ran through Lois' body, her teeth once again tugging at her bottom lip.

After a moment, her face broke out into a wide grin. "Not bad, Smallville."

One of his hands left her waist, moving to her hand and tugging it gently, helping her up like the gentleman he was. His body on an angle now, Lana could see that all too familiar toothy smile as his other arm wrapped around her, his hand resting on her back.

"Told you I could do it," he said, a note of arrogance in his voice.

"Don't get cocky, it's one thing to impress your girlfriend, it's quite another to impress _the_ toughest nut to crack in Metropolis."

"Lana," Chloe whispered, seeing the look of abject disbelief on her friend's face.

"This isn't happening," Lana mumbled softly, the flutter she'd felt before now full-blown waves of nausea.

"Funny, I thought I just did that," Clark quipped, the hand that had helped pull her up now intertwined with Lois'.

"Cute. Alright…you get to be the bad cop today, _but_ if it's not working…"

"You jump in and play the role you've perfected, and I flash my, what did you call it? Oh that's right, my _charming_ smile," he said, leaning down and gently brushing her lips with his. "And, how did you put it? _Melt her heart_ into answering our brilliant questions."

"I'm never gonna hear the end of that, am I?"

Clark pulled back, turning and grabbing her coffee and handing it to her before picking up his own.

"Probably not. Ready?"

"Yeah. Later Jack," she called to the barista behind the counter, who smiled in response. "Oh wait," she said, stopping mid-turn toward the door and grabbing her bag. "Jimmy texted me before about some shots he took of Councilman Myers' press conference, let me just text him back quick," she muttered, putting her purse down on the chair and rifling through it for her phone. Finding it, her head snapped back up and…

She stopped cold.

Lana inhaled sharply as hazel eyes met hers.

She watched as the tall brunette stood frozen, her hand clutching her cell. She swallowed roughly as she saw Clark reach out, his hand brushing her arm.

"Lois, you okay?"

She blinked quickly, as if shaking herself out of her stupor, before looking up at him and saying one, simple word.

"Lana."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Thanks for all the great feedback! Here's the last part, hope you enjoy!

**

If the situation had been different, Lois would have probably busted out laughing at the utterly confused look on Clark's face at her seemingly out of nowhere mention of Lana's name. She'd always loved that look, completely adorable and totally Clark.

However, things being what they were, she was hard-pressed to find any amusement in his tightly knit eyebrows. Shaking her head slightly, a wry chuckle barely escaping her lips, she reached out and touched his arm, gently turning him toward the raven-haired beauty that was now standing barely six feet away from them while her cousin watched, a helpless look coloring her features.

Lana watched him carefully as he turned toward her. Every flicker, every twitch, hoping against rapidly fading hope that there would be _something_ still there for her.

As Clark's eyes fell on her, his confusion seemed to lessen, but only slightly, blinking a few times as if to clear the cobwebs, perhaps making the realization that he wasn't feeling any stabbing pains in her presence. After a moment, though, an easy smile played on his lips.

Who knew a smile could break a heart? Because as she noted the friendly grin, that was exactly what Lana felt happening.

It wasn't a lovestruck smile. It wasn't a longing smile. It was a _nice_ smile. A smile she'd seen him give many times before. To Jimmy Olsen. To Chloe. To Ben Hubbard. To Mrs. Wilkins when he ran into her at the Talon and she asked after his mom.

But she never thought she'd see that particular expression aimed at _her_.

"Lana," he finally said, his tone just friendly enough to make Lana's teeth grate in frustration. "Wow, you're the last person I expected to run into today."

And that was the truth. Because of all the people Clark Kent expected to see as he and Lois raced through Metropolis, chasing down story after story, Lana Lang was definitely last on the list.

He noted to himself, as he his eyes glanced sideways and saw Lois subtly gnawing at her bottom lip (a move that someone only as well versed in the ways of Lois Lane as Clark had become would pick up), that that wasn't the case because he didn't _want_ to see Lana. Nor did he _want_ to. She just…didn't cross his mind much anymore.

"Hey, Chloe," he continued, sending a smile the blonde's way.

"Hey guys," Chloe said weakly, her voice signaling she wasn't unaware of the tension that had suddenly filled the heretofore empty coffee shop.

"Clark," Lana interjected, taking a step toward him, as if to prove to him that she was _safe_ now, "I didn't expect to run into you here," she said, with a meaningful sideways glance toward Lois.

"Yeah, well it's just about time for Lois' post-lunch, pre-snack coffee break," he offered, grinning down at the brunette at his side.

Lovely lips ticked up into a typical Lois Lane smirk. "Smallville here knows better than to make me wait for my caffeine fix."

"Well, I've learned the hard way that a caffeine deprived Lois means a cranky Lois," he said, the teasing affection in his voice clear to all three women standing there.

"Clark, I really need to talk to you," Lana blurted out suddenly, startling not only Clark, Lois, and Chloe, but apparently herself, as her eyes widened the moment the words left her mouth. Inwardly, she chastised herself, having planned on being as cool as the proverbial cucumber when she came face-to-face with Clark. That, it seemed, was out the window, her nerves on edge having witnessed the unexpected easy intimacy between Lois and Clark.

"Oh, um…well, we have this big interview we have to get to," Clark said, glancing at Lois and then back at Lana.

"I can handle it Clark," Lois chimed in, gazing up at him. "No big deal. That way you and Lana can catch up."

Looking into her eyes, Clark could see she meant it. Every word. She wouldn't hold it against him, she would understand it if that's what he chose to do. And it was for that reason, among others, that he reached over and intertwined his fingers with hers, before cocking an eyebrow at her.

"And miss my chance at being the bad cop? Forget it, Lane," he said softly.

It happened in the span of mere seconds, but Lana didn't miss the silent communication between them. Clark's grasp of her fingers, his soft, reassuring smile, and Lois' almost imperceptible nod in response, her lips forming a gentle smile of their own.

He'd chosen _her_.

Lana gasped, feeling the realization hit her as if she'd been punched in the stomach.

Tearing his eyes away from Lois, and seemingly unaware of Lana's shock, Clark simply suggested, "Maybe we can catch up later? I gotta pick some stuff up from Lois' apartment, but I should be back at the farm around 7 if you wanna stop by."

"I was…I was hoping for earlier," Lana managed to stammer out.

"Is everything okay? It's not an emergency is it?"

Every fiber of her being wanted her to scream "Yes" in response to his question. Get him rattled, bring out his protective streak, _anything_ to see a glimmer of the feelings she had to believe were still there for her.

Instead, she opted for truth.

"No. It's just…a lot's happened, Clark," she said, her voice soft and plaintive, hoping that tone would pull on his heartstrings like it used to.

"Smallville, I can pack up the truck and meet you there later. You and Lana should talk."

"It's a lot of heavy stuff, Lo."

"Chloe can help me," she said, gesturing to her cousin, who nodded in response.

Clark looked at Lana, then back at Lois. Finally, he sighed, and to Lana, it seemed almost as if it was one of resignation.

But she refused to allow herself to believe that.

Because just as quickly as she'd heard it, he smiled, once again all too politely, at her.

"Yeah, okay. The interview should take no more than an hour at most, then I'll drop Lois and the truck off at her apartment and head back to the farm. We'll meet there in about an hour and a half, alright?"

Lana nodded, doing her best to smile brightly. "Great, I'll see you then."

Clark simply nodded and gently tugged on Lois' fingers. "We should go. You can text Jimmy on the way," he said, before raising his coffee slightly in Chloe's direction. "See ya, Chloe."

Lois smiled at her cousin, before setting her eyes on Lana. "Nice seeing you Lana," she said evenly.

"You too," Lana replied, her voice tight.

She watched as they walked hand in hand out of the coffee shop, her mind whirling with a zillion questions. But as she turned to her friend, only one came out in a hoarse whisper.

"How long?"

Chloe sighed. "Since they actually admitted it? About six months. But, honestly, it's been going on a lot longer than that."

She blinked quickly, as if trying to will the words away. "And…she knows? Everything?"

"Yeah."

"When?"

"Actually, the day after their first official date."

Incredulously, Lana stared at the blonde, feeling as if she'd entered some alternate universe. Clark Kent, the most secretive person she'd ever known, the man she'd hounded for years to trust her, the same one who'd kept his biggest secret from her even after they'd dated on and off for years, had opened up to Lois mere hours after their first date.

"You're kidding?" she mumbled, stunned.

Chloe shrugged, her eyes sympathetic. "I think he learned his lesson. He didn't wanna make the same mistakes," she said quietly.

_"…learned his lesson…didn't wanna make the same mistakes…" _

It was those words, spoken by her longtime friend that constantly whispered through her mind as she sat on the front porch of the Kent farm.

Waiting.

She was early. She knew it. But she couldn't wait. She was on edge as it was, and she needed to be there, get her bearings, and reset her strategy.

It was a beautiful day, the sun shining and the breeze wafting gently. It was early spring in Kansas, and while there was definitely a bite to the air, it wasn't unpleasant.

She glanced around, noting that the farm never changed. Clark was still managing to keep up with things, even with his job at the Planet. Shelby was at his post in the front yard, waiting for Clark as he so often did when he wasn't over at Ben Hubbard's, playing with the other farmer's gaggle of assorted pups . She'd patted the dog quickly on the head upon her arrival, getting very little response from the oversized canine, he simply putting his head down on the grass and setting his eyes back on the road.

Lana glanced at her watch, before closing her eyes and resting her head on her fingertips.

This _so_ wasn't what she'd envisioned when she'd arrived back in Metropolis this morning.

It was Shelby's bark that brought her out of her self-induced pity party. Lana couldn't help but smile at seeing the large dog jump up and practically tackle Clark, who affectionately rubbed his neck in return.

"Come on, boy, you hungry?" Clark asked, walking toward the porch with Shelby at his heels. He stopped in his tracks when his eyes finally fell on the woman sitting there.

"I'm early, I know," Lana said, smiling apologetically.

"No problem," Clark said, gesturing for her to follow him in. "Just let me feed Shelby and get changed, and we can catch up."

He quickly opened a can of dog food for the now whimpering Shelby, then took off jogging up the stairs. Her eyes fell on the refrigerator, a smile tugging at her lips at the picture of a smiling Clark and his parents that remained there after all this time.

A smile that quickly turned to a frown when she focused on the picture next to it.

Judging from the colorful lights in the doorway, it appeared to have been taken around Christmas time. A beaming Clark stood behind and equally smiling Lois, his arm wrapped around her shoulders, his cheek resting against her long, brown hair.

Their happiness was palpable. Even in a picture.

Swallowing hard, she quickly turned away from the fridge, choosing instead to lean against the large island in the middle of the room.

She heard his familiar footsteps heavily thumping down the stairs. He entered the kitchen, walking over to the refrigerator and pulling out a pitcher of iced tea.

"You want some?"

Lana simply shook her head "no", her eyes fixed on him as he poured himself a glass.

"So, I take it from the complete absence of pain on my end that you're cured."

"Yeah," she said quietly.

"That's good. I'm glad, Lana. It can't have been good for your health to be infected with meteor rock."

"Or yours," she said pointedly.

"Yeah, but you weren't near me, so it wasn't really an issue," he said nonchalantly.

"I wasn't near you _because_ of that," she said, her voice rising in volume slightly, the frustrations of the day beginning to wear on her. "It was why we broke up."

Clark nodded, but remained silent.

"But I'm better now," she ventured. "And I still have my powers."

He looked at her for a long moment before responding. "I'm sure you'll help a lot of people."

If Lana didn't pride herself on being so composed, she would have screamed at his calm, well-mannered tone.

Didn't he _get_ what she was saying?

Perhaps it was time to lay it on the line.

"I want to help _you_, Clark."

Another moment of silence. An unreadable mask on his face.

"Just like I did before…when we worked together. Patrolled together. We can be a team again, Clark. You and me, saving the world. Helping people. We can be together."

"Things are different now, Lana," he said, his voice gentle but firm.

"Because of Lois?"

"For starters."

She'd planned this pitch as she'd sat on the porch, knowing she needed to change things up with what she'd witnessed earlier. She couldn't appeal to his loneliness anymore.

But his specialness? What set him apart from almost everyone but her? That…that she could still use.

"It'll never work, Clark. And I think you know that."

For the first time, Clark's polite demeanor wavered a bit, a flash of anger on his features at her words.

"No, I _don't_ know that."

"She'll never understand you the way I do. She can't possibly. She doesn't have the powers that we do."

"And I'm glad she doesn't."

Surprised, Lana took a step toward him. "How can you say that? She has no idea what it's like to live like you do, like I do. How can you possibly think that will work? You and I…we're the same, Clark."

"No, we aren't Lana," he said, before taking a few steps away from her, dragging his hand along the counter. Turning to look at her, he tilted his head, contemplating her. "That's always what it's been about for you, hasn't it?"

Her brow furrowed in response, shaking her head slightly. "What are you talking about?"

"What do you see when you look at me?"

The confusion on her face melted into a mask of affection. "I see a hero. I see a great being who was sent here and can make an incredible difference in this world. I see someone who I would be honored to be partners with."

A bittersweet smile touched Clark's lips. "That's what I thought."

For a moment, his eyes flickered toward the photograph hanging on the refrigerator, resting on it briefly before he turned back to her.

"You know what Lois sees when she looks at me?"

The question making little to no sense to her, Lana gave a quick negative shake of her head.

The slightly sad grin turned into one of the most heartstopping smiles Lana had ever witnessed.

"She sees Clark."

Silence.

She exhaled loudly, the words hanging in the air around them.

"But," she said, her voice strained, "you're so much more than that. If Lois doesn't appreciate that…"

"I never said she didn't."

"Well if all she wants is for you to be some _regular_ guy then I'd say she doesn't."

"Lana, _I_ wanna be a regular guy."

"Then she's holding you back," Lana retorted, accusation clear in her voice.

"You're not hearing me. My abilities, I've accepted them, and what's more, I'm actually happy I have them. That I can use them to help people, I feel like I wake up every day with a purpose, and I love that."

"And I understand that," she insisted.

"But what you don't understand is that that's not _all_ of me. Just as much as I can appreciate my abilities and what I can do with them, I love going to the Planet each day and working to become a better reporter. I love hanging out here and watching a movie with my girlfriend or doing some simple chores around the farm. I want my own life, too, Lana. I don't want it to be all about my heritage or my powers. Sometimes, I just wanna be Clark Kent. And Lois, she gets that. But she also knows there are times when I'm gonna have to rush off, when I might have to cut a date short and leave her, and she gets that too."

Lana felt the tears sting her eyes, seeing the man before her perhaps clearly for the first time.

For so long, she'd hounded him about his secret, feeling cheated that he'd kept something from her. When she'd learned it, she felt inferior, that she was holding him back, only feeling his equal when she'd baked a superpowered suit into her skin.

And all he'd ever wanted was for someone to remember that behind the alien DNA, behind the superpowers, behind the hero…there was a man who wanted what everyone wanted.

To be loved for who he was. And not just what he could do or what he could give.

That he'd found that in a loud, brash, and bossy brunette who lived to tease him seemed …well, she thought, her mind flashing back to the first moment she'd seen them together, all those years ago…it seemed oddly _right_.

"Well," she said softly, "I guess that's it then."

Clark nodded, taking a few steps toward her and gently grasping her arm. "I hope you know that if you ever need anything, Lana…I'll always be here."

She smiled tightly, the tears still threatening. "Thanks," she whispered. Gently tugging her arm from his grip, she turned and headed toward the door.

"Goodbye Clark," she whispered, a tear escaping her eye.

"Goodbye Lana."

As she closed the door behind her, she wiped roughly at the stray tear, erasing it from her cheek, before speeding off into the fading sun.

**

**3 Hours Later**

He'd just finished sliding his clothes over, making room for hers, when he heard a joyful bark from downstairs. Grinning, he sped downstairs just in time to see Shelby happily licking Lois' cheek.

"Hey Shelbs," she said, chuckling as she patted the dog affectionately.

"I don't know who's happier about you moving back in, him or me."

"It better be you, Smallville."

Taking the large shoulder bag from her, he placed a gentle kiss on her lips. "I definitely get the better end of the deal. He doesn't get to sleep with you," he said, a grin on his face that sent her pulse racing.

"Unless you tick me off. Then you get the couch and Shelbs gets the bed."

"I'll remember that."

Lois grabbed a pair of glasses and the pitcher of iced tea from the fridge, pouring some for them both.

"So, what does Ma Kent think of our plan?"

"You mean _my_ plan?"

"Please, Smallville, couples share the credit for these things."

"I'll remember that next time you want a solo byline."

"That's different."

"Naturally."

"Anyway…" she said, smirking adorably and gesturing for him to continue.

"She thought you and me living here until she moves back in November and then moving to Metropolis was a good idea. And, for the record, she agreed with me that it would be silly for you to look for a new place in the city after your rent got hiked up when living here with me we could save money and be able to afford the kind of place we're going to need in Metropolis in a few months.

"And she doesn't mind us living together?"

"Lois, we're adults."

"She's still your mother."

"You afraid she's gonna think you're seducing her sweet, innocent son?" he teased.

"You only look sweet and innocent, Smallville. Little does she know."

He laughed at that, having a feeling she was referring to his stellar performance earlier that day. He reached out and tucked a stray lock of hair that had fallen from her ponytail behind her ear.

"She's fine with it, Lo. I promise. So, did you and Chloe manage to get a lot of stuff in the truck?"

He began to move toward the door, but stopped, feeling Lois' hand on his arm.

"What?"

She looked at him incredulously. "Really? We're gonna just ignore the petite, brunette elephant in the room?"

Clark shrugged. "There's really not much to say."

"I'll be the judge of that."

He sighed, turning fully toward her. "She wanted me back."

"No kidding," Lois snarked. "And?"

This time, it was Clark's turn to look surprised. "You even have to ask?"

She narrowed her eyes, biting the side of her lip.

"Come on, Lo. You know I love you," he said, his voice laced with tenderness.

"I know you do."

"But?"

She breathed out, crossing her arms in front of her, a pose Clark knew as a classic Lois defensive stance. "You didn't choose to break up with her. You had to."

"So?"

Lois scoffed at his apparent nonchalance. "So? The reason you had to break up with her is now gone. Look, I know you love me, Clark, but you wouldn't be human if you didn't wonder what if."

"Well, I'm _not_ human," he said, a grin tugging at his lips.

"I'm being serious."

"So am I. Okay, you're right. I didn't break up with Lana by choice. But, in the end, I _did_ choose to let her go. I didn't try and find her, and I didn't search for any cure. And obviously we know now there is one out there. After she left, I could have done what I'd done in the past. I could have pined away for her, I could have let my life be taken over by trying to find her, trying to make things right between us, but I didn't want to. All I wanted was to move on. So yeah, maybe it wasn't initially by choice, but the truth is, the kryptonite was just the means to an end. An end that should have happened long before that, but both of us were too scared to be alone and too stuck in the past to admit it."

He gently cupped her cheek in his hand. "I was pretty messed up then, Lois. Lana was suddenly back and then there were all these confusing feelings I had for you that I didn't know what to make of or what do with. I made a lot of mistakes, and yeah, there are some things I wish I could go back and change. But ending things with Lana, regardless of how it happened, isn't one of them."

She contemplated him for a moment, as she always did when she was taking in what he said, processing it and letting it sink in. Then, she nodded slightly, a soft smile gracing her lips.

"Okay."

He narrowed his eyes, a teasing sparkle in them. "Just like that?"

She tilted her head slightly. "If you're lying to me, I'll just kryptonite in your Cheerios," she retorted playfully, moving closer to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. "And I know you're not. Seriously, Smallville. Worst poker face ever. Which, by the way, makes you an awesome boyfriend."

"Except I'll never be able to surprise you apparently. You can read me way too well, Lane."

"Hmm….I don't know about that. You definitely shocked me with the bad cop routine today."

He arched an eyebrow, his arms moving to circle her waist. "Really?"

"Yeah. It was pretty sexy," she grinned, reaching up to brush his lips with hers.

"There's more where that came from," he said, his voice low, sending a shiver throughout her body.

Biting her lip, her eyes darkening slightly as Clark planted soft kisses along her jaw, she mumbled, "What about my stuff?"

"It can wait," he whispered into her ear. "You're not gonna need any of it tonight anyway."

And with that, he swept her into his arms and supersped them up to what was, for the next few months, _their_ bedroom.


End file.
